Chiles High School is producing Ivy League talent on the diamond.
It is sending more elite talent to the Ivy League, with two standout athletes proving that academic excellence and high-level competition can thrive on the same field.
Senior Alex Haine has signed to play baseball at Harvard, while junior catcher Benny Powell has verbally committed to Princeton softball. The two headline a growing list of Big Bend athletes bound for Ivy League institutions, joining St. John Paul II standout and Harvard signee Amanda Thompson.
Together, Haine and Powell represent what Chiles has come to symbolize: a rare blend of rigorous academics and championship-level athletics.
“I think Chiles’ academics are consistently among the best in our area, and our athletics are very consistent as well,” Powell said. “You get the best of both worlds.”
Haine echoed that sentiment, crediting the school for preparing him for the demands of competing — and succeeding — at the nation’s most prestigious universities.
“I think Chiles as a whole has a strong curriculum with a strong foundation that allows students to excel academically,” Haine said. “We also have a strong foundation for really strong athletes. It’s kind of shocking at that level in such a small town.”
Chiles High School is sending more elite talent to the Ivy League, with two standout athletes proving that academic excellence and high-level competition can thrive on the same field.
Mike Eto, Chiles’ athletic director, expressed how proud of how Powell and Haine set an example for student athletes taking advantage of being and elite and well-rounded student athletes.
“At Chiles, our student-athletes are respected for all of their accomplishments on and off of the field,” Eto told the Tallahassee Democrat. .
“They are expected to maintain a high level of academic performance while dedicating a significant amount of time and energy to their athletic activities. Benny Powell and Alex Haine are two great examples of our high-achieving student-athletes. Benny Powell is a junior who plays on our softball and flag football teams. She is one of our captains for our softball team, and this year alone, she has led her team in several statistical categories. All the while achieving a 4.5 weighted GPA and ranking 26th in her class. Alex Haine is a member of our baseball team, and he ranks among the team leaders in most of the offensive categories. Alex has a weighted GPA of 4.5, while being dual-enrolled this year and taking all AP courses here at Chiles. He ranks 39th in his class. Both are perfect examples of our high-achieving student athletes, and we are very proud to call them Chiles Timberwolves.”
Harvard the right fit for Alex Haine
Haine has never shied away from a challenge.
A 4.55 GPA student who has taken honors, AP and college-level courses, Haine balanced his academic rigor with standout production on the baseball field. Entering the postseason, he is batting .354 with 28 hits, 19 RBIs and two home runs. On the mound, he is 2-0 with 37 strikeouts.
“I knew I wanted my landing spot to be at a high-academic school while still playing competitive baseball,” Haine said.
That pursuit led him to several elite programs, including Ivy League schools and academically driven institutions such as MIT and Johns Hopkins. Harvard ultimately emerged as the best fit.
Crimson coaches first noticed Haine last summer while watching him compete in a tournament at the Lake Point Complex in Cartersville, Georgia. Impressed by his arm strength, the program recruited him primarily as a pitcher and invited him to a baseball camp last August.
Haine remained in constant communication with Harvard’s coaching staff and took his official visit on Halloween. The visit sealed his decision.
“I think what was special about Harvard was how well I got along with the coach and the players,” Haine said. “They were very welcoming, and I really enjoyed my time in Cambridge. It’s a super-prestigious institution competing in Division I baseball. That’s all you can ask for.”
Haine plans to major in economics, minor in government and hopes to attend Harvard Law School after completing his undergraduate degree.
Benny Powell commits early to Princeton
Powell’s recruiting journey came earlier — and faster — than expected.
A junior with a 4.6 GPA, Powell admitted she never considered Princeton a realistic option until it became one.
“It was a bit unbelievable,” Powell said. “I never considered them an option, but I just felt so honored.”
Princeton coaches discovered Powell while scouting one of her summer ball tournaments. After reaching out and inviting her for a visit, Powell said the decision quickly became clear.
“When I went on the visit, I just fell in love with it,” Powell said. “Looking at the opportunity it will create for me in the future, it was an easy decision.”
Powell took about a month to consider the commitment while making other official visits, but ultimately shut down her recruitment and verbally committed to the Tigers on Dec. 16, 2025.
“I just can see myself there,” Powell said. “I knew it was the right decision, and I didn’t want to wait any longer.”
On the field, Powell is tied for the team lead with five home runs while batting .444. Off the field, she is drawn to finance and mathematics, calling AP Calculus both her favorite and most challenging class.
“I really enjoy math,” Powell said. “It pushes me.”
One final goal at Chiles
Before heading to Cambridge or Princeton, Haine and Powell share unfinished business at Chiles.
Both the baseball and softball teams are peaking at the right time, and both players believe a deep postseason run — and possibly the school’s first state championship — is within reach.
For Haine, this season represents a chance to end his high school career on the biggest stage.
“Having the possibility of a state championship is honestly something I can’t even describe,” Haine said. “It would be a special opportunity to end my high school career that way.”
Powell, who will return for her senior season, hopes to help send the current seniors out with a title after years of close calls.
“We’ve come close the last three years,” Powell said. “If we can finally get that last little push, I think it would mean everything.”
Whether or not a championship banner follows, Haine and Powell have already helped raise the standard at Chiles — proving that excellence in the classroom can translate into excellence on the diamond, even at the Ivy League level.
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics and Big Bend Preps for the Tallahassee Democrat. If you like to pitch a story on a high school athlete, don’t hesitate to get in touch with him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: From Tallahassee to the Ivy League: Chiles’ best on the diamond
Reporting by Peter Holland Jr., Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
